"The Carol Burnett Show" ran from 1967 to 1978 and has been touted as one of the best television series of all time. The cast and guest stars of the show included comedic greats such as Tim Conway‚ Betty White‚ Steve Martin‚ Vicki Lawrence‚ Dick Van Dyke‚ Lyle Waggoner‚ Harvey Korman and others who went on to have long‚ successful comedy careers. One firm rule Carol Burnett had on her show was that the actors stay in character. She felt it was especially important not to break character during the "Family" scenes‚ in which the characters Ed and Eunice Higgins (a married couple) and Mama (Eunice's mother) would play host to various colorful characters in their home. "I never wanted to stop and do a retake‚ because I like our show to be ‘live‚’" she wrote in her memoir‚ as reported by Showbiz Cheat Sheet. "So when the ‘Family’ sketches came along‚ I was adamant that we never break up in those scenes‚ because Eunice‚ Ed‚ and Mama were‚ in an odd way‚ sacred to me. They were real people in real situations‚ some of which were as sad and pitiful as they were funny‚ and I didn’t want any of us to break the fourth wall and be out of character.”It was a noble goal‚ and one that went right out the window—with Burnett leading the way—in a "Family" sketch during the show's final season that ended with the entire cast rolling with laughter. In the scene‚ Eunice‚ Mama‚ Dan (an old friend of Ed's) and Mickey (Ed's employee at the hardware store) are playing "Password" and the word they're trying to get their partners to guess is "ridiculous." Eunice (played by Carol Burnett) gives Mickey (played by Tim Conway) the clue word "laughable‚" and after pondering for a bit‚ he says "elephant."Eunice scolds him for his bizarre answer‚ then Conway launches into a wild ad-libbed story about a circus elephant that goes on and on and on.Burnett is the first one to lose it. The cast barely keeps it together through the sketch.But that was just one take. Between takes‚ the director gave the actors a note: The elephant story would be different in the next filming—and good luck.The next elephant story was even wilder than the first‚ and Burnett and Dick Van Dyke couldn't stop themselves from laughing. Conway himself breaks a couple of times‚ and even Vicki Lawrence (playing Mama)‚ who famously never broke character‚ had to hide her face for a moment. Then‚ just when they finally got themselves composed and Burnett was able to deliver her line‚ "Go on‚ Mama‚" Lawrence delivered the most perfectly timed a-bomb and the whole cast exploded:So delightful. And for an added bonus‚ watch Vicki Lawrence tell the story about how that scene came about:See the full interview at https://emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/vicki-l...This article originally appeared on 9.14.22

On May 28‚ 2014‚ 13-year-old Athena Orchard of Leicester‚ England‚ died of bone cancer. The disease began as a tumor in her head and eventually spread to her spine and left shoulder. After her passing‚ Athena's parents and six siblings were completely devastated. In the days following her death‚ her father‚ Dean‚ had the difficult task of going through her belongings. But the spirits of the entire Orchard family got a huge boost when he uncovered a secret message written by Athena on the backside of a full-length mirror.After removing the mirror from the wall‚ Dean discovered a 3‚000-word letter written all the way down its backside in black pen. "She never mentioned it‚ but it's the kind of thing she'd do‚" her father told People magazine. "She was a very spiritual person‚ she'd go on about stuff that I could never understand – she was so clever." The moving letter revealed her deepest feelings about her fight with the dreaded disease. "Every day is special‚ so make the most of it‚ you could get a life-ending illness tomorrow so make the most of every day‚" she wrote. "Life is only bad if you make it bad."Although Athena is gone‚ the mirror now serves as a powerful memory of her undying spirit. "We're keeping the mirror forever‚ it is a part of her we can keep in the house‚ it will always be in her room‚" her mother‚ Caroline‚ said. "Just reading her words felt like she was still here with us‚ she had such an incredible spirit."Athena's full message:"Happiness depends upon ourselves. Maybe it's not about the happy ending‚ maybe it's about the story. The purpose of life is a life of purpose. The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra. Happiness is a direction not a destination. Thank you for existing. Be happy‚ be free‚ believe‚ forever young. You know my name‚ not my story.You have heard what I've done‚ but not what I've been through. Love is like glass‚ looks so lovely but it's easy to shatter.Love is rare‚ life is strange‚ nothing lasts and people change. Every day is special‚ so make the most of it‚ you could get a life ending illness tomorrow so make the most of every day. Life is only bad if you make it bad. If someone loves you‚ then they wouldn't let you slip away no matter how hard the situation is. Remember that life is full of ups and downs.Never give up on something you can't go a day without thinking about. I want to be that girl who makes the bad days better and the one that makes you say my life has changed since I met her!Love is not about how much you say I love you – it's about how much you can prove it's true. Love is like the wind‚ you can feel it but you can't see it. I'm waiting to fall in love with someone I can open my heart to. Love is not about who you can see spending your future with‚ it's about who you can't see spending your life without… Life is a game for everyone but love is the prize. Only I can judge me.Sometimes love hurts. Now I'm fighting myself. Baby I can feel your pain. Dreams are my reality. It hurts but it's okay‚ I'm used to it. Don't be quick to judge me‚ you only see what I choose to show you… you don't know the truth. I just want to have fun and be happy without being judged.This is my life‚ not yours‚ don't worry about what I do. People gonna hate you‚ rate you‚ break you‚ but how strong you stand‚ that's what makes you… you!There's no need to cry because I know you'll be by my side."This article originally appeared on 04.15.19

My mother died from ovarian cancer when I was a young child.I'm in my late 30s now‚ and I'm still navigating this loss as I move through life. I've lived most of my life without my mother at this point‚ but I still miss her.Here are three things I've learned since losing Mam:1. Grief is not linear and is not solely expressed through tears.Someone you love has been taken away from you‚ and your heart has broken into pieces. It's natural to grieve‚ but we all grieve differently. Grief shows up in anger‚ sorrow‚ guilt‚ fear‚ and sometimes peace. It is unpredictable and‚ at times‚ exhausting.I cried when my mother died‚ and I cried at her funeral when my school choir sang "Be Not Afraid." I didn't cry much in the immediate years that followed — not directly as a result of Mam's death‚ but probably indirectly related to it. I certainly felt fear and anger and other emotions related directly to my loss.Then sadness hit me like a ton of bricks one day when I was in my early 20s. A compassionate friend asked me about Mam‚ and as I hadn't spoken about her to anyone outside the family‚ I broke down. It was a good release. The years have brought many stages of grieving.Mother's Day is never easy. Shopping for my wedding dress without my mother brought up intense feelings of loss. And sometimes it just hits me hard‚ on a regular day‚ yanking me out of my pleasant thoughts. A mother in a dressing room with her daughter‚ and they're trying on clothes together‚ admiring how the other looks. The mother telling the daughter how beautiful she is.Or a friend of mine‚ meeting her mother for lunch and I can't even imagine what that would be like! I can't even fathom the amazing joy of having lunch right now with Mam! And then I get that heaviness in my chest and my stomach feels bad.There's no closure. My grieving stems from having loved so deeply. I have learned to tune into the emotions I'm feeling and to acknowledge the love‚ the pain‚ and the loss.2. There are no replacements.Nobody can replace your mother. We love our mothers in our own individual ways. Our mothers care for us when we're sick‚ guide us in life the best ways they can‚ listen to us‚ and love us unconditionally.For a mother‚ her child is always her first priority. And we sense this. We feel it. We know it‚ even if she doesn't say it.My mother was beyond happy when I was born a healthy baby girl. I was told that she called me her little angel. She carried me in her womb for nine months.By the time I was born‚ we had that unbreakable bond‚ and she knew me from that first second of my existence. There's never going to be a replacement for that person who loved me probably more than she loved herself. The joy in her eyes when she saw me‚ the warmth of her arms wrapped around me‚ the pain in her eyes when she had to say goodbye are all ways that I remember the deep love she had for me.Mam prepared lunches for me every day to take to school‚ named muffins after me because they were my favorite‚ and surprised me with the best doll she could find when I was a few years old. She repaired my soft toys when they tore‚ taught me to have manners and sit up straight‚ wiped my eyes when I cried and my nose when I was sick.Today I look for certain qualities in people. I look for a warmth‚ a radiance‚ a compassion and kindness that Mam had. I look for humor‚ a voice of sense‚ and strength of character. These are traits that my mother had. I find some of them in others.But it's never the same. There'll never be another Mam. She's irreplaceable on so many levels.3. There are other people who will love you and other people for you to love.Family members and friends will love you. They might not know exactly what your needs are or how to address them‚ but it's worth reaching out to them. People struggle with different things.Perhaps family members cannot love you or be there for you‚ and we may have to look around‚ let go‚ and reach further than we might want to in order to find the people who really love us‚ but there is someone out there to love you‚ and there's someone in need of your love.I was blessed with the kindest‚ most devoted father who gave my brother and me all the love and care we needed. My dad is a gem in my life. He calls me to hear my news and to share his. He worries when I'm not feeling good and is overjoyed when I'm happiest. He listens to my concerns and trusts me to make the right decisions.My dad has helped me so much in dealing with my loss‚ through caring for me and loving me unconditionally. I have the most wonderful fiancé who loves me to no end. And I've friends in my life who I know truly care about me.I've been blessed with a lovely family‚ but it doesn't mean that I don't reach out to others. I've reconnected with old friends after years of distance. I've discovered things I have in common with others and opened up to new friendships.Having people to love is truly healing. I was a kindergarten teacher for 10 years. I loved the children in my care‚ and they showed me so much love in return. By spreading love‚ we invite more love into our lives. Try volunteering or working in a school or a hospital. There are people everywhere in need of love.Our world is so big and yet so small now in this age of technology. We can reach out to others across continents.Our mothers were the first to show us the true meaning of love. In honor of our mothers‚ let's spread that love wherever we can.This article was written by Carmel Breathnach and originally appeared on March 5‚ 2017

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder but what if what your eyes behold is objectively...not good? In what appears to be a creative way to spend quality time together for a married couple‚ things go hilariously wrong. Ted Slaughter‚ uploaded a video to his TikTok page of an activity he and his wife did together.Slaughter's wife seems to be holding the phone so you can clearly see what appears to be a painting of Slaughter‚ who is sitting at the other end of the table in front of an easel. The text overlay on the video says‚ "husband and wife paint portraits of each other (gone wrong). But what could possibly be wrong‚ sure his wife's attempt isn't art gallery ready just yet but it's not bad.Based on the critiques the man had of his wife's painting‚ surely his looks much closer to professional level work. Right?...Right?Slaughter starts off strong after viewing his wife's artwork‚ "that's awesome‚" then come the minor critiques. "I mean‚ I'm a little elfish around the eyes‚" to which his wife laughs‚ "I know you are not critiquing this right now."After a few giggles between the two‚ it was time for the big reveal. The impromptu art critic turns his painting around to reveal his work of art to his unprepared wife and it's...something. It's so much of something that his wife nearly stops breathing. You hear her off camera take in a breath to laugh but nothing comes out for what seems like a good 60 seconds before the sound of her laughter catches up. Commenters also had some thoughts."He said Elflish then showed you a gremlin lol‚" one person writes."One portrait is of Picasso. The other portrait is of Beetlejuice‚: someone else says. "I was wheezing with you. You paint a majestic elf and he gives you an orc‚" another laughs.The portrait is something words cannot describe. You must see it for yourself below: @ted.slaughter My wife and I painted portraits of each other… what could go wrong? #painting #portrait #funny #laugh #fyp #viral #husbandwife

The melody is almost identical. The post The Cars song that rips off The Beatles first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

from State Of The Nation: Let me first describe my background and experience as a Hernia Coach for context. I was Board Certified in Integrative Medicine early in my career as a Holistic Health Coach and Wellness Counselor.  I eventually became a Hernia Coach as a result of creating my own holistic hernia remediation program […]